1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a portable pharmaceutical tablet and capsule counter, which more generally may be used for the counting of small suitably shaped objects.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Pharmaceutical tablet counting devices are known in the art, and have been the subject of several patents. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,662,904 entitled "Counting Device" and issued to Tune, discloses a unit for counting tablets in which a perforated plate is mounted on top of an intermediate withdrawable plate in a box-shaped based. Tablets are deposited on the perforated plate, and when all holes in the plate are filled, the withdrawable floor is removed, allowing the tablets to fall to the bottom of the box.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,623,647 "Counting Device" and issued to Erickson, discloses a device in which two perforated plates are situated adjacent to each other. After the performations on the upper plate are filled with tablets, it is moved so that its perforations correspond with the perforations of the lower plate, thereby allowing the tablets to fall into a lower container.
Several other U.S. patents also rely upon perforated plates for the counting of tablets. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,402,827 entitled "Portable Pill Counter" and issued to White; U.S. Pat. No. 3,848,395 entitled "Means for and Methods of Dispensing Medicinal Tablets and Capsules" and issued to Totten; U.S. Pat. No. 3,150,785 entitled "Pill Counting Device" and issued to Clasen; U.S. Pat. No. 2,706,072 entitled "Tablet Counter and Packager"and issued to Furno; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,863,572 entitled "Device for Counting Pills" and issued to Bethard, et al.
Some of these prior art devices can only count tablets, and cannot accurately count capsules. Others of these devices are cumbersome to operate and require counter space far in excess of the devices' dimensions. For example, one prior art device requires space approximately twice the base area of the device if the intermediate withdrawable floor is fully removed from the device in conjunction with counting large numbers of tablets. Other such devices are difficult to clean and maintain because of the difficulty in disassembling the device. Of course, cleanliness is absolutely necessary if different varieties of tablets or capsules are to be dispensed utilizing a single device, rather than a separate device for each type of tablet or capsule.